Apparatus for detection of biomolecules and its fabrication

Abstract

A biochip for detecting or sequencing biomolecules and a method of making the same. The biochip comprises a base member; a dielectric layer being deposited on the base member and having at least two rows of discrete recesses being formed thereon; and two or more electrodes being sandwiched between the base member and the dielectric layer and running under respective row of discrete recesses, the two or more electrodes are separated from each other along length by a portion of the dielectric layer; wherein the dielectric layer defines a continuous operation surface above the electrodes and on which the discrete recesses are deposited for detecting or sequencing of biomolecules, when an electric field is applied through the electrodes, a field gradient is created to draw biomolecule towards a preferred part of the operation surface.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A biochip for detecting or sequencing biomolecule comprising:
 a base member; 
 a dielectric layer being deposited on the base member and having at least two rows of discrete recesses being formed thereon; and 
 two or more electrodes being sandwiched between the base member and the dielectric layer and running under respective row of discrete recesses, the two or more electrodes are separated from each other along length by a portion of the dielectric layer; 
 wherein the dielectric layer defines a continuous operation surface above the electrodes and on which the discrete recesses are deposited for detecting or sequencing of biomolecule, when an electric field is applied through the electrodes, a field gradient is created to draw biomolecule towards a preferred part of the operation surface. 
 
     
     
       2. The biochip as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the recesses comprise one or more wells and furrows formed between two rows of wells. 
     
     
       3. The biochip as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the furrow separates the two or more electrodes. 
     
     
       4. The biochip as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein each well has a predetermined width of about 10 nm to 1 mm and has to be smaller than a width of the electrode of about 10 nm to 1 mm. 
     
     
       5. The biochip as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein each well has a predetermined depth of about 1 nm to 1 mm and has to be smaller than a thickness of the dielectric layer of about 1 nm to 1 mm. 
     
     
       6. The biochip as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein at least one furrow has a predetermined width larger than twice the thickness of a dielectric layer of about 1 nm to 1 mm and no larger than a width of an electrode width of about 10 nm to 1 mm. 
     
     
       7. The biochip as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein each electrode extends across the base member and is common to the wells in a same row. 
     
     
       8. The biochip as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein at least one electrode comprises an elongate stripe of electric conducting material. 
     
     
       9. The biochip as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein at least one electrode is deposited directly underneath the dielectric layer. 
     
     
       10. The biochip as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein at least one electrode has a predetermined width of about 10 nm to 1 mm. 
     
     
       11. The biochip as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein at least one electrode has a predetermined thickness of about 1 nm to 1 mm. 
     
     
       12. The biochip as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the dielectric layer has a thickness of about 1 nm to 1 mm. 
     
     
       13. The biochip as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the dielectric layer comprises a dielectric material selected from a group consisting of silicon oxide, silicon nitride, aluminum oxide and titanium oxide. 
     
     
       14. The biochip as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the base member comprises a layer of thermal oxide deposited on a layer of silicon substrate. 
     
     
       15. The biochip as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein one or more probe entities are attached to the operation surface in the recesses for catering the use of a low frequency electric field to create a field gradient that draws biomolecule towards the recess. 
     
     
       16. The biochip as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein one or more probe entities are attached to the operation surface and outside of the recesses for catering the use of a high frequency electric field to create a field gradient that forces biomolecule towards operation surface outside the recess.